Lexington’s favorite barbecue joint is moving locations. Does this mean more BBQ?
Lexington’s favorite barbecue joint is moving. But the good news is it isn’t going far and the new location will have room for two smokers.
Which means more brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, smoked sausage and ribs.
Blue Door Smokehouse, which readers recently overwhelmingly selected as their favorite locally owned barbecue place, is leaving Lexington’s Walton Avenue after nearly a decade.
Owners Jeff Newman and Jon Grigsby are moving the restaurant around the corner to 819 National Ave., in the former Maximus CrossFit building, along with a new, additional Void Sake taproom and a Wild Lab Bakery kitchen.
“We’re excited to have new neighbors and be a new addition to National Avenue, which is already a pretty cool spot with breweries, restaurants and shops,” Newman said. Walker Properties, which owns the buildings, “is making an effort to make that area a destination.”
What restaurants, stores are on National Avenue?
The neighborhood just off Winchester Road is home to Epping’s on Eastside, El Cid, Mirror Twin Brewing and Rolling Oven Pizza, Myriad Meadery, La Petite Delicat, as well as many locally owned retail shops and gyms.
Newman said Blue Door plans to move at the end of the year. “We will probably have our last days here at the end of November, then we are aiming to open up around the first of February there,” he said.
Being closed for a short time for the move will mean missing out on the busy holiday party season “so we can get in the groove and be ready for spring,” he said.
Blue Door BBQ new location details
Blue Door opened in 2014 in a tiny 26-seat spot tucked off Winchester Road. And it’s been packed pretty much ever since. BBQ fans sometimes line up outside the door to get orders to go. They know to come early because when the food is gone, it’s gone. Blue Door cooks fresh every day and doesn’t serve leftovers.
The new location will be about twice as big, although much of that will be devoted to kitchen space, Newman said. But there will be more indoor and outdoor seating.
And they will have room for two smokers instead of just one, so they can do more bulk pre-orders.
Still, he said, “that’s not going to mean we’re never going to run out of barbecue.”
How much barbecue does Blue Door cook?
“We cook a lot of meat. I know it’s frustrating for people but we cook as much as we possibly can,” he said. “We’re probably purchasing 150,000 pounds of meat a year, maybe more. We’re cooking 1,000 pounds of brisket a week on average ... In just over 9-1/2 years in this little spot we’ve really cooked a lot of meat.”
They don’t plan to make any menu changes but will have a big addition: Beer. And possibly single-serve wine.
They also are considering adding a grab-and-go section with pre-sliced meats.
Newman said the hours also will stay the same, open for lunch daily and for dinner on Friday and Saturday. Blue Door is closed on Sunday.
Blue Door Smokehouse
Where: Moving to 819 National Ave. at the end of 2023
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., or whenever they sell out. Blue Door is closed on Sunday.
Online menu: Bluedoorsmokehouse.com/menu
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